


Lighten The Load

by RottenMint



Series: Sex Pistols Summer Collection [1]
Category: Sex Pistols | Love Pistols (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Mpreg, Multi, Running Away, implied infidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 15:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19298509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RottenMint/pseuds/RottenMint
Summary: A deeper look at Maximillian's thought process when he meant to leave and raise the baby on his own.





	Lighten The Load

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! If you haven't read Sex Pistols before, or have recently started it, please be warned that it is very mpreg-heavy and has a lot of... rules, lets call them. I don't intend to strictly follow cannon in this work, as this is meant to be a re-write of a favourite part of mine. The teen rating is for the implied infidelity and suggested infidelity, as well as other sex-related talk. 
> 
> Please enjoy, and feel free to give constructive criticism.

Maximillian goes through his duffel bag one last time. _Passport, vitamins, sketchpad…_ He zips the bag shut with a sort of finality and sighs.

“It’s for the best,” he tells himself again, placing a hand on his stomach. He’s not quite showing yet, but now that he knows he is pregnant it’s become somewhat of a habit. The last thing Maximillian had expected was to conceive almost immediately after his marriage to David. Yes, they’d been more than eager to try, and yes, a part of Maximillian yearned for nothing more than seeing his husband interact with their child.

Now? Nothing terrifies him more than the idea of bringing their child into this world. Maximillian doesn’t know if he will be a good parent, if he can raise a child the way a “mother” should, if he can handle being a terrible parent and becoming a burden on David.

“I can do it myself. I _will_ do it myself, and I won’t be any sort of burden.” Maximillian says, ignoring that he is still convincing himself of this fact. “Well, any sort of burden after this.”

He places the letter- written in careful script with ink on one of his sketchpad pages and folded perfectly- on the coffee table. David is scattered at times, but even he wouldn’t miss the letter in such an obvious place. All he needs is for David to know he’s left of his own volition. If David thought anything bad happened to him, he’d call the police with no hesitation. Maximillian doesn’t want to make a big deal of the situation. It’s his choice.

He’ll be fine.

\---

Holding Yonekuni again fills Maximillian’s chest with an irregular sort of warmth, one he’s less familiar with since he hasn’t seen his son in so long. Having Kunimasa in his lap does the same, which he hadn’t expected. Of course he’s been fond of the baby since the day he laid eyes on him, his own flesh and blood or not. He cares for Makio, and even more so for David, so what wouldn’t he love about a child born of his own child’s mother and his husband? Maximillian shakes his head and goes back to trying to burp Yonekuni. The ways of the Madararui still confuse him, even now.

As Karen bids farewell, Maximillian carefully untangles his hair from Kunimasa’s wandering little fingers. Makio looks at him for a moment, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“It must be that he likes the blonde,” Makio crows, “he never pulls Karen-chan’s hair like that, only mine. And now you!” She laughs again and leans in close, enough that the tips of her and Maximillian’s noses almost touch. “Or maybe it’s something he inherited from his father?”

“Makio,” Maximillian scolds, cheeks flushing, “don’t speak like that in front of the children.”

“They don’t understand, they’re too little,” she responds, lifting Kunimasa from Maximillian’s lap, “you don’t like me talking about your husband and I fooling around, huh? I never took you for the jealous type, that’s more David’s angle.” Makio stands, bouncing Kunimasa in her arms. Sure enough, he takes hold of her ponytail as soon as it bobs into his line of sight.

Makio scrutinizes Maximillian, giving him a brief once-over, “or maybe you’re just hormonal.” Maximillian flushes deeper and looks down at Yonekuni’s serious little face. “If you’re feeling that possessive over David, why did you leave? The two of you are married, sure, but if Karen goes away too long...” She winks at him. Maximillian holds Yonekuni a bit closer to him, like a shield against Makio’s lustful energy.

“David is loyal,” he retorts, “he is a good man.”

“Then why not stay with him and tell him your worries, instead of coming here to bother me and Karen-chan?” Makio’s smile is sharp. Maximillian curses himself. That’s exactly the corner she meant to back him into, and he fell for it.

“That’s…” he trails off, at a loss. _Because I don’t want to be a burden, because what will he think of me, because because because_. None of the answers seem good enough. Maximillian feels his lips begin to wobble and his eyes start to sting. Yonekuni reaches up at his face, babbling.

Finally, he manages a teary, “I don’t know.” Makio sighs.

“Come on then, it’s naptime.”

\---

Makio, Kunimasa, and Yonekuni fall asleep quickly. Maximillian does not. He’d checked his phone before settling down, finding several missed calls from David and even one from Richard. He supposes the letter he left may have been a bit abrupt, but it served the purpose he needed it to. _At least they haven’t figured out where I am yet_ , he thinks. Makio’s phone has remained silent the entire time he’s been in their apartment, and neither he or David ever had a contact for Karen- Makio is the stay-at-home parent and she always answers if Maximillian or David call (and Karen had _their_ numbers in case she ever needed it, and she never had).

Maximillian jumps in surprise when Makio groans, then takes a quick look at the babies. They’re still asleep, thankfully, and Maximillian lets out a relieved breath. He may not be able to sleep, but he is exhausted, emotionally and mentally. The last thing he needs is two crying babies to comfort.

“I can hear you thinking from here,” Makio yawns, “if you’re not going to sleep, why don’t we fool around?”

“Makio-”

“‘Fool around’?! What is that supposed to mean?” Karen roars as she enters the apartment, the door slamming against the wall. Makio jolts up and away from Maximillian, collecting a now fussing Kunimasa into her arms.

“K-Karen-chan! I meant, I mean- oh, look! You’ve upset the boys!” Makio covers poorly. Karen stalks over and picks up Yonekuni before Maximillian can recover from his shock. David’s frame takes up the doorway, and Richard stands behind him. Both look agitated, though Richard less so, and David’s chest heaves with each breath he takes.

Maximillian opens his mouth to say something, anything, but all he can manage is a little wheeze. David steps into the room, his movements jarring and halting. Maximillian scrambles to sit upright.

“David, I-”

David’s arms are around him before he can finish. Now, with David holding him, Maximillian can feel that he’s shaking. Maximillian feels his eyes well up, and he wraps his arms around David’s middle.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, “I’m so sorry.”

\---

He doesn’t know how long they stay there, entangled on the futon, but when Maximillian looks up the apartment is dark. Karen, Makio, Richard, and the babies are nowhere to be seen. For a minute, Maximillian think that he and David fell asleep.

The too-fast breathing of his husband tells Maximillian that if anything, he’s the only one who slept.

“David.” David shakes his head, ginger hair tickling Maximillian’s collarbone. He shivers and tries again. “David, I’m sorry.” David’s breathing stops altogether. Then, he pulls away from their embrace.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was this bad?” David asks, cupping Maximillian’s cheek. His tone is soft as he continues. “I could’ve helped you before you got to this point.”

“I didn’t want to be a burden,” Maximillian drops his gaze, unable to meet David’s eyes, “we were in such a good place, but then the stress of the wedding and the pregnancy… I didn’t want to wreck our happiness. Your happiness. I don’t know if this child will be delivered safely, or if I can be a good parent. For two heavy seeds to conceive is so rare, I- I was afraid to ruin everything, when it was going so well.” He steals a glance at David’s face. His expression makes pain bloom behind Maximillian’s sternum, aching and heavy.

“You could never be a burden, Maximillian. Your happiness is my happiness and a key part of _our_ happiness. Whatever worries you have, tell me, and we can face them together. You are not a burden, but you burden yourself with each fear. Share that load with me so it is light enough that neither of us have to get hurt.” David’s voice is wet by the time he’s finished. Tears slide down Maximillian’s cheeks. He wipes them away before meeting his husband’s gaze once more.

“Alright. I’m sorry I left. This child is ours, and you deserve to raise them as much as I do.”

“I will always forgive you,” he lifts Maximillian’s hand to his mouth and kisses his knuckles, “and there’s nothing I want more than to raise our child together. I love you.” Maximillian beams.

“I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> There's so much sweet stuff that happens in this manga... I wish they would go into more depth with it sometimes.


End file.
